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UW Team Makes Finals at National Environmental Law Competition

February 24, 2010 — A team of University of Wyoming students made the final round of the 2010 Pace National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition, an annual event that draws more than 200 competitors from the United States and Canada.

Regarded as the preeminent competition of its kind in the U.S., the Moot tests skills in appellate brief writing and oral advocacy on issues drawn from real cases, providing first-hand experience in environmental litigation.

The UW representatives, Maryt Fredrickson (Jackson), Christyne Martens (Cold Spring, Minn.) and Temple Stevenson (Laramie), all third-year law students, reached the finals of the 84-team event along with Lewis and Clark Law School and the University of Houston Law Center.

"Holland & Hart has always been honored by the excellent work of the UW law students in the Pace competition," says Brad Cave, administrative partner in the Cheyenne office of Holland & Hart, the sponsor of the event, held annually since 1989 in White Plains, N.Y. "The success of this year's team in reaching the final round demonstrates the College of Law's leadership in environmental and natural resources law and speaks volumes about the quality of students and faculty at the school.

"We are very proud of UW Law and Maryt, Temple and Christyne."

Although UW didn't win the competition -- judges selected Lewis and Clark as the winning team -- Fredrickson says the team accomplished its primary goal at the event. There are no second- or third-place teams chosen in the finals.

"What felt the best about advancing to the finals was when people found out what school we hailed from," Fredrickson says. "Our goal was to put the University of Wyoming College of Law on the map to demonstrate how good our natural resources program is, and we succeeded."

Sam Kalen, an assistant professor of law, coached the UW team.

Photo:Third-year University of Wyoming law students, from left, Maryt Fredrickson, Christyne Martens and Temple Stevenson, advanced to the final round of the recent Pace National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition at Pace Law School in White Plains, N.Y.